Airport resorts to first-ever recruitment fair

Employers at Gatwick airport are joining forces this week to try and meet
skills shortages and attract more staff to its Sussex-based terminal.

Major airlines, ground staff employers, retailers, caterers and hoteliers
have teamed up to launch the airports first-ever recruitment fair, which starts
on Thursday.

The 300 companies based at Gatwick have traditionally struggled to attract
new staff because of low unemployment and the close proximity to London.

The event is a joint venture between operator BAA, Sussex Enterprise and
JobCentre Plus, and organiser Sharon Crabbe is confident it can attract more
than 2,000 jobseekers.

"The situation has always been that there are more jobs on offer at
Gatwick than there are people to fill the vacancies. This jobs fair will
redress the balance and attract more staff for 2003," she predicted.

EasyJet, WH Smith, Britannia, Dixons and Groundstar are among the employers
looking for managerial, operational and administrative staff.

The airport needs to consolidate and build on its 28,000- strong workforce
as £16bn has been earmarked for the expansion of Gatwick over the next 12
years.

The Gatwick Career and Jobs Fair will run for two days on Thursday and
Friday, January 30-31, and is being hosted by Crawley MP Laura Moffatt.